Monday, January 26, 2009

What's Hope all About

"So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, 'Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!'" (Job 2:7-9).
Yesterday I was visiting with a Bank Manager. He said the economic situation is more difficult than he could have ever imagined. This level of stress in the economy puts tremendous stress on those affected by it. I know several individuals who are unemployed and are not receiving unemployment benefits. Some were fired from their jobs unfairly, others were pushed out of their jobs because of decreased production due to less consumer demand. I know a newly married young man, with an engineering degree, that has not been able to find a job of any kind. I learned yesterday his car is being repossessed. On top of this I know people with serious illnesses who have no health insurance. As a believer what can you do?
During these seasons, you can only do one thing. You must hang onto whatever faith you have to get through each day and entrust your life to Him. "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Hab 3:17-18).
When faith doesn't see results it challenges what you believe. You must pray as Job prayed: "Teach me what I cannot see" (Job 34:32). God says there is a purpose in everything you go through. God is going to reveal things to you through this season of adversity that you would never receive had you not gone through this. There are lessons learned in the dark that only make sense in the light. In Isa. 45:3 the Lord promised to "Give you the treasures of darkness, the hidden riches of secret places." Seasons of adversity and darkness come in every believers life. This is part of your calling, even though Satan may be the instrument. The Sovereign God of heaven is always bigger than Satan's afflictions."
Your greatest tests come when you cannot see positive results from your faith and obedience (darkness). In such cases you must die to your expectations and entrust them to the Lord. Dr. Ken Copley is available for counseling, conferences, and local church meetings.